Source: icc-cricket.yahoo.net
When restricted to 216, it seemed a tight contest on the cards for Sri Lanka, but instead it proved too much for the Black Caps. New Zealand were all out for 119, thus by giving the home side a huge victory in the inaugural match of the Compaq Cup in the R Premadasa Stadium.
Thilan Samaraweera was the batting mainstay of the Sri Lankan innings, surpassing his highest ever score in ODIs, in the way posting his first ever hundred which enabled a big way in ensuring the victory of his country. Lasith Malinga later followed it up with a superlative bowling performance which saw 3 wickets fall in a single over that too of important batsmen.
In-form Brendon McCullum, Jacob Oram then Nathan McCullum all fell in the 19th over bowled by the slinging action bowler and from there onwards, it was downhill for the visiting side.
Such was the magnitude of Sri Lanka's victory, that in a tri-series like this, they have incurred the all too important bonus point also. But the early stages of the match, did not give any indication of all the happenings in the evening.
When Sri Lanka were restricted to 216, it seemed a tight contest was on the cards, sending the smattering of spectators home early. Sri Lanka's innings had been resurrected from 69 for 5 by Samaraweera and Angelo Mathews, but New Zealand never recovered after Sri Lanka's fast bowlers sliced through the order.
Within 29 balls, Jesse Ryder (0), Martin Guptill (3) and Ross Taylor (2) were left brooding in the dressing room. New Zealand's shot at victory had been squashed and any self-belief that lingered after the Tests now vanished.
Malinga was a revelation with the ball when your top order has been blown away, and what followed was stunning. With his first three overs, comprising deliveries on all sorts of lengths, Malinga kept the batsmen tied down. The fourth was something out of a shooting gallery. Brendon McCullum had run the risk of being arrested for loitering as he squeezed 14 from 51 balls before Malinga rattled his stumps. Two deliveries later Malinga held back his length and drew an edge off Jacob Oram's bat to Kumar Sangakkara. With his next ball, Malinga hurled down a corker that went right through debutant Nathan McCullum.
At 41 for 6 in the 19th over, this game was as good as done. The only batsmen to cross 14 were Grant Elliott, with a brave 41, and Ian Butler, whose efforts lessened the margin of defeat. Completing the rout with another yorker was Malinga, whose aggressive bowling had undoubtedly been fuelled by Samaraweera's inspirational batting.
Samaraweera, whose highest ODI score coming into this match was 38 not out, teamed up with Mathews and averted a meek surrender with a 127-run association from 134 balls. The pair combined exceptional running between the wickets with some fireworks to help Sri Lanka reach a total that looked remote when they began.
Conventional wisdom and statistics at the Premadasa suggest strongly you bat first in day-night matches, and when Sangakkara won the toss it was greeted with loud cheers as the crowd anticipated a quick start. But this was an unusual two-paced track that didn't encourage for blazing shots and Sri Lanka slipped to 22 for 3.
There were only two boundaries by the half-way mark - both inside the first three overs - and a run rate of 2.72 indicated how much Sri Lanka had struggled. Almost immediately, Samaraweera and Mathews began to build some momentum, unfazed by the nature of the track and energetically hunting for scoring possibilities. A boundaryless streak, lasting 143 deliveries, was soon snapped.
Vettori has a tough match ahead of him against India, who are keen to wrist the No. 1 spot in One-Dayers. The only hope seems to be look forward to a new pitch.
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